Improvement in i



- PATENT OFFICE.

e ,LIAMns M.Y GAsToN, (njNnw ALBANY, INDIANA.

Q IMPRQVEMENTKIN ToBAcco-PREss'Es.

` Specification forming part of Letters Patent To all whom it may concern; t

y Be it known that I, JAMES M. GASTON, of New Albany,-in the county of Floyd and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Tobacco-Compress, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists of the molds and follower for pressing tobacco into plugs, arranged between upper and lower rollways, slightly converging, and provided with means for forcing the mold and follower along, and wedging them powerfully together between said rollways. My invention also consists of the crosspartitions between the ends of the molds, contrived to recede before the ribs of the follower, and thus allow said ribs to extend the whole length of the group of molds, whereby the necessity of fitting the ribs accurately to the molds, which would otherwise exist, is obviated; and, moreover, it allows of shiftingthe molds for making plugs of different lengths, and employing the sameribs with molds of 'any length. My invention also consists of a contrivance of the end partitions for removing them, andthe mold bottoms and sides, for changing them to any required length.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved tobacco compressing machine. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line .r .fc of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the mold-box and follower. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the mold-box; and

` Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the mold-box and follower, taken o n the line y y of Fig. 4.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre-` sponding parts.

A. and B represent the mold-box and follower, in which the tobacco is to b`e pressed in shapes and sizes according to the form'and size of the plugs or flounders,77 as represented at C. On each side the mold-box has a toothed plate or bar, D, which gears with wheels E on the roller F, whereon the boxY rests, to force the box and follower along between the lower` rollers F and the upper ones G, by which the compression is effected, the two'sets of rollers being arranged in planes gradually closing or drawing together. The lower rollers are connected, by cranks, to a bar, H, on one side, and on the other side the roller ot each end of the series is connected to the other by a belt,

1874; application filed I, I, and pulleys, to distribute. the power which is applied to one by the chimney-pulley J. The frame K, in which the upper rollers are supported, is connected to the lower, one by rods L, on which are adjusting-nuts, by which the frame'may be shifted higher or lower readily to regulate the pressure. The box is divided into pockets or molds of suitable size to make the plugs of the size wanted by cross-partitions N and the longitudinal ones O. rllhe cross-partitions are arranged to rise and fall easily in the spaces between the ends of the bottolngsmQ, sides R, and longitudinal partitions O, all of which are made in sections, and they project through the box-sides T, and have pins U to hold them against working out of place; and they rest on springs V, which lift them 4up as high as the top of the other partitions when not pressed down. The follower, has long ribs, W, extending the whole length of the mold-box, and fitting between partitions O, to press thetobacco into all the molds of a row, pressing the cross-partitions down with them, thus serving for the short molds as well as short ribs would, and saving the fitting of short ones; and, besides, it enables them to be used for molds of any length, so that they do not have to be changed when the molds are changed.

By taking out every other cross-partition, and shifting the sides, bottoms, and partitions to close up the space, my molds can be made double 'the length shown,and by the same plan they can be.v made three or four times the length.

The blocks Q, and the sectional partitions and sides are bolted together for each short mold by a bolt, X,`and the middle sections rest on the bottom board without being attached, while one end section is permanently fastened, and the other is secured by bolts Y, which can be readily taken out to shift along for adjusting the molds.

The sides T of the mold-box have a thin plate, a, notched to allow the cross-partitions to rise in it the proper height, and contrived to shift lengthwise over the partitions when they have been pressed down to hold them, so that the pressed tobacco can be thrown out of the molds readily by a scraper run along the bottom of the boxes between the partitions.

The blocks Qand ribs Ware faced on one side with iron, and they are capable of being turned upside down, to have either metal or wood surfaces in contact with the tobacco, as is required for different kinds of stock.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire-to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the mold-box and follower and the rack-bar D with the toothed wheels and the two sets of rollers F G, the latter mounted in aframe, and arranged at an angle, or in converging planes, as shown and described.

2. The combination of the longitudinal parallel ribs W of the follower B with the lengthwise partitions O and transverse partitions N,

moving invertical slots inthe sides of fthe 'mold-box, and the springs V, Vfor supporting said partitions N, all as shown and described.

3. The combination of the movable crossp JAMES MONROE GASTON.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. ROBELLAZ, HENRY RoBELLAz. 

